Mitchell William (Bill) Hopie was born in Port Angeles on June 6, 1937, to Martin Hopie and Ethel Sampson Hopie. He was a proud member of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and the youngest of five children.

In 1970, Bill married Carla Longstreth. They had one daughter, Linty, who would prove to be his number one passion and biggest focus for the rest of his life.

He was an ?ber dad, attending every important event and being present for each milestone of his daughter's life. He was the dad who arrived early for ballet, for band practice, and for track meets. He would wait for hours, supporting his daughter in doing what she loved and honoring her goals and accomplishments. They created a multi-generational home and had the chance to spend many fun and momentous times together throughout the last 50 years.

On July 5, 2021, Bill suffered a major medical incident that took his life unexpectedly but with his daughter by his side.

His devotion to family was obvious, the strength, wisdom, and leadership of his parents and grandparents shaping his own life from the beginning.

As an infant, Bill moved to a home near the mouth of the Elwha River on land his relatives had reclaimed as part of the Indian Reorganization Act. Both his grandfather, Charles Hopie, and father, Martin Hopie, served in many leadership roles, establishing and growing what would become the Lower Elwha Klallam

Tribe and Reservation. The small group of Native families who reclaimed these places were required to work the land, and Bill became an expert farmer and rancher. He grew up raising wheat and potatoes, and caring for Scottish Highland, Angus, and dairy cattle. It was here that he developed a passion for tractors that would last a lifetime. Bill also enjoyed hunting and fishing along the banks of the Elwha River on lands that served as home to his family since time immemorial. He attended Dry Creek Elementary and then Roosevelt High School, where he excelled as a budding artist and star football athlete. Here he also started his passion for classical music, learning to play violin with his elementary school orchestra. The backdrop of his early childhood was World War II, when his family had to milk dairy cows by candlelight and ration their food and supplies. His father served as an air raid warden, and several members of the tribe served in the military.

As a teenager, he began a life working in the woods as a logger and heavy equipment operator, first with his father and brother Martin Jr. with their own business, Hopie and Sons Logging, and later with his cousins Bruce and Harold Sampson with Sampson Logging. Bill worked for years at the Pysht Tree Farm and other areas across the Peninsula. He faced discrimination, especially in the early days, because his family members were among only a few Native business owners. Bill's unbeatable work ethic and infectious charisma overcame such obstacles. At age 55, he took his last logging job as an equipment operator with XL Timber, Inc., in Oregon, where he had the time of his life working in a logging camp until he retired from the profession in the early 1990's.

Bill spent his life helping his family in every way he could, including serving as caregiver for both his father and mother in their later years. During important historical times, he took on the role of legislative aide and bodyguard for his father, Martin, who served as Chairman of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. In the early 1950's, he accompanied his father to contentious hearings in opposition to the attempted termination of tribes (now called The Termination Era). Bill stood with his father, successfully guarding him as well as the future of the Tribe.

Bill had the opportunity to experience life outside of his ancestral home when he moved with his family to Bend, Oregon, in 1987, and then to Eugene, Oregon, in 1996, to join his daughter while she attended University of Oregon. They returned home to Port Angeles to rejoin family in 2007, where he lived the rest of his life enjoying and exploring. He was an avid gardener, tending and caring for the land that nourished and surrounded them.

Bill was a Renaissance man, a hunter, farmer, rancher, logger, master woodworker but also a talented artist, who was once recommended for a scholarship to study drawing/painting at the Cornish College of the Arts. A lover of classical music and extremely well-read, he left behind an extensive collection of music and literature.

The old timers called him "Billy," but most remaining relatives knew him as "Uncle Bill." He will be missed by those who knew him best as well as those who had the joy and privilege to even spend one afternoon with such an extraordinary, strong, devoted man and beloved father.

Family members who preceded him in death include his father, Martin Hopie; mother, Ethel Sampson Hopie; brothers, Roger Sr. and Martin Jr.; and sister, Mari Romero.

He is survived by his daughter, Linty Hopie; sister Johanna (Edward) Blacksmith; grand-dog, Lola Hopie; and many beloved cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

A private family graveside ceremony was held on July 24, 2021. A celebration of life planned to take place at the Clallam County Fairgrounds will be postponed for a later date due to pandemic safety concerns.

If you would like to honor Bill through donation, please give to support his beloved daughter's work at Feiro Marine Life Center (PO Box 625 – Port Angeles, WA 98362).

A special thank you to Dr. Josiah Hill and Nurses Santiago and Katie at Olympic Medical Center Emergency Department.

Drennan & Ford Funeral Home in Port Angeles was entrusted with his arrangements. Please sign the online guestbook for his family at www.drennanford.com .